Various methods exist for collecting data about operational parameters and characteristics of a mobile communications network. For example, in a manual collection technique a number of trained employees or contractors visit various drive areas and collect data with measurement devices. This method is labor intensive, geographically limited in scope, and requires the use of expensive test equipment. For example, assume measurements are needed in dense urban areas and in sky scrapers. Using the this manual collection method makes it difficult, if not impossible, to collect data in many parts of these urban areas as they are off limits to data collectors and the data is also too time consuming to collect.
Another known technique for collecting operational parameters of a mobile communications network is known as autonomous collection. In this technique, specially designed devices that collect radio frequency (RF) mobile device measurements and event data are placed in vehicles that are driven around various collections areas. These specially designed devices report their measurements back to a central server. Creating the specialty devices is expensive. Also, the devices require special maintenance procedures. Also, the geographical scope of collection is limited by the number of autonomous devices installed in a region.
Yet another technique for collecting mobile communications network operational parameters is known as the per call measurement data method. In this technique, the wireless network communications network takes periodic measurements from the mobile phone and stores them in a central server with a latitude and longitude. This latitude and longitude is determined by using timing triangulation from the cellular towers of the mobile communications network.
In such a method, the location of where the measurements are taken can be very inaccurate due the limitations that result from using timing triangulation. Further, the location of the mobile station can only be determined when the mobile station is seen by a plurality of cellular towers.
Thus, a need exists for an improved technique of collecting data about operational characteristics of a mobile communications network and accurately recording where those measurements were taken. Further, the technique should not congest the mobile communications network with traffic from the collection of the data.